EQ Magazine - May 2008 - (Page 28)

FAST TRACKS FOR DYNAMITE DEMOS Add real elements. One way to make a loop sound real is to add elements that are: Overdubbing a tambourine or handclaps can help, as can using a drum loop without cymbals and overdubbing them. The real cymbals give you more timbral latitude, as well as more mixing options. Take advantage of drum hits. Many drum loop libraries include individual drum hits from the drums used to create the loops. This is great, as you can drag in additional hits, add off-beats and accents, change the pitch slightly of some hits to add variations, double hits for a stronger sound, and the like. Why multitrack drum libraries are cool. Multitrack drum libraries, such as those from Discrete Drums, Sony, East-West, etc., require a little more work to apply than standard drum libraries—but the results are worth it. One of the biggest advantages is that because individual drums are on separate tracks, it’s easy to add dynamics to just one sound. You can also add timbral changes, such as pulling back a bit on the snare’s treble during quiet parts, then increasing it a shade when you want the part to cut a little more. Another option involves altering the room mic track levels to complement the song. To make the sound bigger, bring up the room mics a bit; reduce them for a more intimate sound. Furthermore, you can use a program like Drumagog to replace particular drum sounds, such as the kick or snare. Drumagog works by detecting when a drum hit occurs, then generating a trigger to play a different drum sound. Assuming separate source tracks, replacing sounds is usually easy. Finally, you can shift track timing—lag the snare track a bit behind the beat to create a more loose, laid-back vibe, or push the snare a bit for a more insistent “feel.” Use frequency spectrum-based audio editing for drum loops. Programs like specific frequency and amplitude ranges. Use this function to remove the kick part from a loop while retaining the other drum sounds, then overdub a kick part with more variations and interest. I’ve also been able to remove some percussion sounds, like triangle and clave— you’d never know they were ever there. This technique is not a panacea; it pretty much demands a dry loop, as reverb is such a diffuse sound it’s hard to pin down and remove. Otherwise, this type of editing can be extremely effective. EXPRESSIVE MELODIC LOOPS The biggest problems with loops is that they’re repetitive. That’s the first clue that you’re using something artificial; the second clue is people nodding off as they listen to your music. But it doesn’t have to be that way, thanks to chopping and shifting loops (Figure 6). For example, cut a 16th note from the loop’s beginning, then paste it Adobe Audition and Wavelab can cut

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EQ Magazine - May 2008

EQ Magazine - May 2008 Contents Talk Box Sounding Board Jamie Lidell, What the New Model of Record Deal Means to You, Part II, Andrew W.K. Tool Box Aerosmith Fast Tracks Guitar Trax Bass Management Key Issues Drum Heads Vocal Cords Mix Bus Cheat Sheet DigiDesign Pro Tools LE 7.4 Cakewalk Sonar 7 Line 6 UX8 Studio Projects CS5 Art Tubefire 8 Jazzmutant Dexter MCDSP Emerald Pack Overloud Breverb KRK Exposé E8B Mackie MR5 Blue Sky Exo Monitor System Big Fish Audio Around the World in 80 Raves East West Fab Four Virtual Instrument Sony Matt Fink- Starvu Session Keys Room With A VU

EQ Magazine - May 2008

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